Authorities ID Mobridge man drowned in Missouri River

Authorities have identified a Mobridge man who was tossed from a boat Friday and drowned in the Missouri River.

Danilo Figuracion, 67, died while attempting to swim to the pillars of a nearby bridge, according to a news release from Corson County Sheriff Keith Gall.

Figuracion and William Gant, 57, of Mobridge, were in northbound in a boat when something caused the motor to flip 90 degrees, which led to both men being ejected from the boat, according to the release. They were traveling roughly 28 mph, according to the release.

Gant was able to swim to a pillar of the U.S. Highway 12 bridge where he was rescued by two teenagers who were fishing nearby, according to the release. He was taken to Mobridge Regional Hospital and treated for minor injuries.

Figuracion was last seen swimming toward the bridge, according to the release. A search that involved nearly a dozen agencies and used water patrol and sonar equipment continued through the weekend, according to the release. About 12:30 p.m. Sunday, the sonar equipment spotted Figuracion's body and divers from the Pierre Fire and Rescue dive team retrieved it from water that was 52 feet deep, according to the release.

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After the men were tossed from the boat, unsuccessful attempts were made to try and stop the empty vessel, according to the release. It eventually ran out of gas and stopped on its own, according to the release. Neither man was wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident, which occurred near Mobridge, but on the Corson County side of the river, according to the release.

An ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Corson County Sheriff's Office and the state Department of Game, Fish and Parks, according to the release. Other responding agencies included the Walworth County Sheriff's Office, Mobridge Police Department, Standing Rock Game and Fish, Standing Rock Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcers, Selby Police Department, Mobridge ambulance and Standing Rock ambulance, according to the release.